The Made by Google 2025 event was less about incremental upgrades and more about Google showing how deep it wants to weave artificial intelligence into its hardware family. The showcase introduced the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL, along with the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, and updated Pixel Buds 2a. The common thread across every device was autonomy — smartphones, wearables, and audio gear designed to handle more decisions without sending every request to the cloud.
But the most debated change comes from a small piece of missing hardware: in the United States, the Pixel 10 lineup arrives without a physical SIM card slot. Instead, buyers must rely entirely on eSIM technology, echoing Apple’s earlier decision with the iPhone 14. As highlighted during the Google Pixel 10 event, this move marks a significant shift in design philosophy.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The End of SIM Trays in the U.S.
Google’s choice to sell the Pixel 10 series as eSIM-only in the U.S. is a pivotal one. According to the company, 70% of U.S. Pixel users already use eSIM provisioning, thanks to cooperation with major carriers. Removing the SIM tray freed up internal space that engineers used to fit mmWave 5G components — a requirement from American carriers to enable ultra-fast speeds.
This design choice, however, doesn’t apply everywhere. Pixel 10 models sold internationally still include SIM slots, since most European and Asian carriers operate without mmWave. The foldable Pixel 10 Pro Fold, designed with global travelers in mind, also retains its SIM tray. Google is effectively testing two worlds: a U.S.-only streamlined design versus international flexibility. These differences were thoroughly discussed during the Google Pixel 10 event.
AI at the Center of Pixel 10
While the SIM decision dominated the conversation, the real story was AI. Google’s updated Gemini AI system drives the Pixel 10 experience. This upgraded system processes natural language with greater contextual understanding, improving everything from text generation to photo edits. Features once tied to cloud servers now run directly on the phone’s hardware, reducing lag and making tools feel instantaneous.
Gemini also integrates across the broader Google ecosystem. Apps such as Gmail, Docs, and Maps respond faster and carry context from one app to another. For users, that means writing an email, booking a restaurant, and navigating there can all happen in a single AI-driven flow. Google calls this “autonomous app function” — apps that can anticipate, respond, and act without heavy user input. These advancements were highlighted throughout the Google Pixel 10 event.
Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a
Google didn’t stop at smartphones. The Pixel Watch 4 now features a more refined design and AI-powered health tools, including real-time heart monitoring, predictive sleep coaching, and AI-based alerts for irregular activity. It links seamlessly with Pixel phones for notifications and wellness tracking.
On the audio side, the Pixel Buds 2a bring active noise cancellation (ANC) to a lower price tier. By moving ANC down-market, Google is making advanced sound filtering accessible to more buyers. The buds integrate with Gemini for hands-free commands, real-time translation, and adaptive listening modes. At the Pixel 10 event, these features emphasized the integration of AI in all facets of the device experience.
Connectivity Trade-Offs
Critics, however, warn of trade-offs in Google’s eSIM-only approach. International travelers often rely on prepaid SIM cards to avoid high roaming fees. Without a physical slot, switching networks requires either carrier support for eSIM transfers or purchasing plans that aren’t always straightforward abroad. As some reviewers put it, the change creates speed at the expense of flexibility.
Still, Google argues that carrier adoption of eSIM is expanding quickly, and that U.S. users, in particular, gain more from faster 5G access than they lose in physical card convenience. This decision mirrors Apple’s gamble with iPhone users — and sets the stage for a future where SIM trays could vanish altogether. These changing strategies were a focal point of the Google Pixel 10 event.
Competition with Apple
The Pixel 10 lineup places Google in more direct competition with Apple’s iPhone family than ever before. Apple has leaned on design, luxury, and ecosystem strength, while Google’s story is different. Its narrative centers on AI-first devices — phones, watches, and earbuds built to think, adapt, and work independently. The Google Pixel 10 event punctuated this shift, emphasizing the role of AI in driving innovation. The overlap between the two companies is clear: both push eSIM-first hardware, both promise AI-rich user experiences, and both want to lock users deeper into branded ecosystems. The key difference lies in philosophy: Apple frames its devices as lifestyle products. Google insists that theirs are AI-driven assistants in your pocket.
TF Summary: What’s Next
The Google Pixel 10 event shows where the company believes smartphones and wearables are heading: more autonomy, more AI, and fewer physical components. For U.S. buyers, the eSIM-only design may feel restrictive, yet it also underlines how carriers and manufacturers now prioritize network performance over legacy flexibility. For global buyers, Google’s dual approach shows it knows different markets move at different speeds.
The bigger picture is unmistakable: Google and Apple are locked in a race to define the AI-powered device era. Specs matter less than how seamlessly devices anticipate needs and act without constant commands. With Pixel 10, Google has made its bet clear — AI is not an add-on feature. It is the foundation.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech